Dry-dock



(No Model.) v5 sheets-sheet 1.

W. W. RICH.

DRY 1300K.

No. 483,697. Patented 001;. 4, 1892.

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5 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. W. RICH.

DRY DOCK.

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THE nomas wenn: co., Pnncvurno., WASHINGTON, n. n.

(No Model.) @Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. W. RICH.

DRY 1100K.

No. 483,697. Patented ont. 4, 1892.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

W. W. RICH.

DRY 1300K.

No. 483,697. Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

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UNITEDl STATES i PATENT OFFICE.

VATSON W. RICH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

DRY-DOCK.

SZPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,697, dated October4, 1892.

Application filed November 16, 1891. Serial No. 412,004.. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, VATSON XV. RICH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Dry-Docks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of dry-docks of thekind known as permanent, and my object is to provide a construction ofthe same with a view to securing its permanency by rendering it about asdurable as a masonry dock, but at a much less cost than the latter, andmuch more lasting than a dock formed of timber, piling, and concrete inthe ordinary manner, my construction requiring, for attaining stabilityand permanence of the structure, but little timber to be treated with apreservative (or creosoted, as it is technically termed) or to berenewed.

Generally stated, my improved construction involves the employment ofthe better quality of cement concrete, (preferably Portlandcementconcrete,) stone, and timber, with fastening means, such as metal bolts,dogs, spikes, and the like, the support of the structure involving piersand piling, though if the formation of the natural bed on which it isbuilt be rocky or otherwise very hard the piling may be omitted. I alsouse in the construction cribs built of timber, which remain as part ofthe structure; but I design the latter to be amply strong to resist thepressure 0f the water when the dock is completely filled withoutdependence for strengthening effect upon the crib. f

My invention consists in the general construction of my improveddry-dock; and it also consists in details of construction andcombination of parts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l isa broken cross-sectional viewtaken at about the center of the structure. Fig. 2 is a broken sectionalview of the same, the section being taken at the lines 2 2 on Fig. 3 andviewed as indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinalsectional view showing the gateway of the dock, with the gate in endelevation. Fig. 4 is a broken plan view, in the nature of a diagram, ofthe foundation and construction. Fig. 5 is a view similar to thatpresented in Fig. l, but with the section taken through a pierinstead ofthrough acrib. Fig. Gis a section taken at the line 6 of Fig. 4, viewedin the direction of the arrow and enlarged. Fig. 7 is an enlarged brokensectional view. Y

The foundation or bottom of my im roved dry-dock, as shown in Figs. 1 to5, inc usive, is formed of piling and Portland-cement concrete. Thecenter piles A', under the keelway B, Fig. l, are driven closelytogether, as represented in Fig. Il, and cut oif to a level surface, andconcrete o is thoroughly rammed between them and caused to reach hushwith their tops. To the tops of the piles A are secured, as by bolts orlarge iron spikes, timfber caps C, (see Fig. 4,) which I prefer toprovide of creosoted yellow pine or fir, twelve by twelve inches bysixteen feet in dimensions, and they are placed diagonally upon thepiles at short intervalssay one-half an inch-apart. The spaces q betweenthe caps O are completely filled with hydrauliccement grout. (Not shownbecause of the comparativelydiminutive representation by the drawings.)

Across the diagonal caps C are fastened, transversely of the length ofthe dock, creosoted floor-beams D, which may be bolted to the diagonalcaps and fastened, as in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, intheconcrete bed E of the dock, which is laid on the piles A (or, if thelatter be not provided, on the hard bottom of the excavation) andbrought to within a few inches of the tops of the floor-beams D, beingcaused to slope, and thereby affording drainage from the centerand sidesof the dock to the drain F, Fig. l. The fastening of beams in concretesecures them permanently and firmly without the use of bolts, straps, orany other fastenings except the concrete, and may be used to advantagewith forms of beams diering from the form presented and inconcrcte-and-timber structures other than dry-docks and for purposesother than Hoor-beams. The beams D should be of a form such as that ofthe beam reprosented in cross-section in Fig. G-namely, expanded towardits base-though my object of thereby providing for firmly holding thatbeam in place by embedding it in concrete or other suitable materialmaybe accomplished illustrated in theV drawings.

by forming the beam,otherwise regular, with irregular or corrugatedsides, all of which I desire to be understood as intending by thereference to an expanded base. The drain is formed in the concrete bed Ewith an inclination sufficient to insure drainage from the rear of thedock to the usual transverse culvert, (not shown,) which leads to thedock-well and to the pump-house. If found desirable, the floor-beams Dmay be immediately supported by foundation-piles A, then caused toextend upward through the` concrete to the sill; but I prefer,ordinarily, the construction The Hoor-beams D support the oak blocks p,of which the keelway Bis formed, as also the slides for the usualbilge-blocks. (Not shown.) On the Hoor-beams are laid spacedfloor-planks G-say about one inch apart-to permit the water to drainthrough the door and run into the drain F.

II II denote the concrete sides of the dock, sloping as shown and eachfinished at its top with dressed-stone coping I.

In the body of the dock proper altars o are molded;` The sides II aresupported by concrete piers K, and also during construction by the cribsL, built, preferably, of six by twelve inch pine timbers surfaced to auniform thickness, laid up in elevator style with breakjoints` andbolted at short intervals, as with wrought-iron spikes about fifteeninches long.

' but, as hereinbefore suggested, my intentionl is that the concretefaces Hand piers K shall suffice alone to sustain the pressure of thewater when the dock is completely filled. However, the walls I-I andpiers K may be built in combination with pile work, trestles, or thenatural soil or other foundatiomwhere found convenient or practicable,instead of with the timber cribs shown and described. The rear walls Xof the cribs should be stop-watered by calkin g with oakum and pitchingthe seams wh ere necessary, or the rear walls may be laid with thicklayers of coal-tar between courses. The surfaces of the altars and otherexposed surfaces of the dock, except immediately under the flooring G,should be covered with a coating of rich Portland-cement mortar firmlytroweled'. I employ sheetpiling M to eX- clude water so far as possiblefrom the foundations.

To provide against possible hydrostatic pressure underneath the bottomof the dock, I use drain-pipes N, of-vitrifiedY tiles or some othersuitable conduit, supported on planks 'n or otherwise at convenientplaces under the foundations. From the subdrains relief-pipes N leadupward and discharge above the foundation. The relief-pipe may be of anysuitable diameter--say about three inches--and is formed, preferably, ofcopper or brass. As shown, the relief-pipe N extends from the sub-drainto the surface of the foremost altar o, being provided with a screw-capo, readily removable to permit the pipe to be cleaned, and with a spoutm, having a flap-valve Z hinged to it at and which should be lined orfaced with a rubber or leather gasket, so that when it is closed watercannot pass from within the dock down the pipe N into the drain N.

By Fig. 3 is represented alongitudinal section through the bottom of theentrance to the dock. P denotes the portion at the inner abutment, Pfthat at the center abutment, and P2 that of the table or outer end,foundavtion-pile and sheet-piling being shown under and embedded in theconcrete bed E. R R denote the bottom and side inner gate-sills, and Rdenotes the outer gate-sill. I form these sills of creosoted oak timbersfastened by bolts set in the concrete and'calked and pitched, to preventleakage of water. The gate-sills both of the bottom and sides. of thedock are rabbeted, as shown, to receive rubber or leather packing t',for securing a tight joint when the gate S is in place. If desired,however, the gate-sills may be formed of dressed stone set in theconcrete. The gate is sho-wn in position in Fig. 3 bya partial end viewin the form of a iioating boat or caisson gate. T T are bilge-keelsplaced longitudinally along the sides of the caisson in a manner similarto the bilge keels of vessels. Their purpose is to utilize the one onthe outside when the empty dock is being filled through the openings(not shown) in the gate to assist in keeping the VVlatter steadily inVY'place and prevent the jumping or pounding motion of the gate, which isotherwise liable to occur, to theinjury of the sills and packing.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y l. Ina dry-dock, the combination, with a suitable foundation, of thesuperstructure formed with concrete piers K, of approximately-triangularshape in cross section and broader at the base than at the top, theconcrete sides H, faced with altars o, and a bed, substantially asdescribed.-

2. In a dry-dock, the combination, with a suitable foundation, of thesuperstructure formed with concrete piers K, of approximatelytriangularshape in cross section and broader at the base than at the top, concretesides II, faced with altars 0 and mounted with stone coping I, and abed, substantially as described.

3. In a dry-dock, the combination, with a suitable foundation, of thesuperstructure formed with concrete piers K, of approximate-V Ylytriangular shape in cross-section and broader at the base than at thetop, crib` work L, and the concrete sides II, faced with altars o,substantially as described.

4. In a dry-dock, the combination of the foundation formed with pilingand the superstructure formed with the concrete bed E, concrete piers K,of approximately-triangular shape 1n cross-section and broader at thebase IOO IIO

than at the top, and concrete sides H, faced with the altars o,substantially as described.

5. In a dry-dock, the combination of the foundation formed with piling Aand sheetpiling M and the superstructure formed with concrete piers K,of approximately-triangular shape in cross-section and broader at thebase than at the top, the concrete sides H, faced with altars 0, and abed, sudstantially as described.

6. In a dry-dock, the combination of the foundation formed with pilingand the superstructure comprising the concrete bed E, concrete piers K,of approXimately-triangular shape in cross-section and broader at thebase than at the top, cribwork L, and the concrete sides H, faced withthe altars o and mounted with stone coping I, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a dry-dock or other structure formed with concrete and timber, thecombination, with the concrete, of beams D, expanded toward their basesand embedded at their eX- panded portions in and thereby fastened by theconcrete, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a dry-dock, the combination, with a suitable foundation, of thesuperstructure formed with a concrete bed E and hoor-beams D, embeddedat their expanded portion in and fastened by the concrete piers K, andconcrete sides I-I, faced with altars o, substantially as described.

9. In a dry-dock, the combination, with its foundation, sides, and bed,of caps C, laid diagonally at intervals under the keelway, substantiallyas described.

l0. In a dry-dock, the combination, with its foundation and sides, of aconcrete bed E, caps C, laid diagonally at intervals under the keelway,and hoor-beams D, bolted to and extending across the caps and embeddedat their expanded portions in and fastened in place by the concrete bed,substantially as described.

I1. In a dry-dock, the combination, With the foundation, bed, and sides,of a sub-drain pipe N and relief-pipe N', extending therefrom above thebed and provided with a flapvalve Z, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

l2. In a dry-dock, the combination, with the foundation, bed, and sides,of a sub-drain pipe N and relief-pipe N', extending therefrom above thebed and provided with a removable cap v and spout m, having a flapvalvel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a dry-dock, the combination, withA the foundation, bed, andsides, of a floating gate or caisson S, provided with bilge-keels T,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. A dry-dock comprising, in combination with a foundation, thesuperstructure formed of a concrete bed E,caps C, laid on said beddiagonally at intervals under the keelway, floor-beams D, bolted to andextending across the caps and embedded at their expanded portions in andfastened in place by the concrete bed, a drain F in the bed, towardwhich it slopes, spaced floor-timbers G on the bed, the sides formedwith piers K, cribwork L, and the concrete faces I-I, having altars o,and a sub-drain pipe N and relief-pipe N', extending therefrom above thebed and provided vvith a flap-valve Z, substantially as described.

YVATSON W. RICH. In presence of- E. L. BLACK, W. II. KELLER.

